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Another week, another controversy for current and former officials in Mount Vernon.

Former Mayor Ernest Davis, former Comptroller Maureen Walker, former Planning Commissioner Jaime Martinez, former Police Commissioner Bob Kelley and several City Council members were all named in a lawsuit late on Friday afternoon alleging that they mismanaged millions of dollars in federal housing funds.

The officials have since vehemently denied the claims, according to multiple reports, stating that it’s an attempt to divert attention away from current Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas - who could not immediately be reached for comment - who is facing
grand larceny charges
of his own.

In the lawsuit filed by the City of Mount Vernon and its Urban Renewal Agency, six officials were “accused of an array of fraud, theft, and coverup charges pertaining to $6 million in federal housing funds which is unaccounted for by Frank Acocella, independent counsel to the URA, who filed the Civil Action Lawsuit in United States District Court.

According to the lawsuit, Councilman Wallace and Griffith allegedly entered a sealed crime scene at City Hall without permission, and were confronted by police while attempting to leave the premises with federal documents pertaining to grants from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The original police report filed on the evening in question allegedly would be altered at the direction of Police Commissioner Kelly four times in the following four days. A recording allegedly exists of Kelly admitting to directing the fraudulent alteration of these documents.